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PS2 Game Boxes Almost Looked A Lot Cooler

IbizaPocholo

NeoGAFs Kent Brockman

38da29b0f158d6fd9493ce5ebd1181be.jpg


PS2 game boxes were entirely unremarkable, because they looked like every other plastic case available at the time, from Xbox games to DVDs. But an earlier design for them that Sony ended up ditching was a lot more interesting.

Yeo was hired by Sony for “one last job with the game industry.” In the late 90s, with work well underway on the PlayStation 2, Sony was looking for somebody to design the console’s game boxes, and asked Yeo to take a shot.

The result was this. Fantastic. Like something a character in a 90s cyberpunk anime would risk their lives for, and call it something like a DataCel Disk. As you can see by the size of the disc, the cover art was much smaller than we’re used to, and the “spine” of the case is actually at the bottom. Wildly impractical, sure, but also cool as hell. Sadly it was not to be.

“During production of the prototype, the higher-ups at Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan stepped in and canceled the project,” Salvador writes, “preferring to use the standard DVD case design, which would have been significantly cheaper and easier to work with.”

e3dfcfa9bb1d84c98ed12d156253779b.jpg
 

01011001

Banned
my favorite boxes still are PAL PS1 games

Marvel-vs-Capcom.jpg


distinct, clean, compact and easy to stack

a close second are PAL Dreamcast boxes... but they lose due to them being known to break super easily... if they were more sturdy they would be the best
they win in terms of design tho. super clean

marvel-vs-capcom-clash-of-super-heroes-sega-dreamcast-2000-european-version-pal-1.jpg
 
Last edited:

odhiex

Member
An entirely rounded circle case would make it a lot cooler... anything but that, really ... barf lol
 

Black_Stride

do not tempt fate do not contrain Wonder Woman's thighs do not do not
This looks horrible.

PAL Dreamcast boxes... but they lose due to them being known to break super easily... if they were more sturdy they would be the best
they win in terms of design tho. super clean

marvel-vs-capcom-clash-of-super-heroes-sega-dreamcast-2000-european-version-pal-1.jpg
My man.
DC covers were so good I still have major nostalgia about them.
Nothing has ever come close since.

MY Skies of Arcadia and Phantasy Star Online copies are some of my most prized possessions.
 

01011001

Banned
Couldn't agree more, look at this sex festival of a game box:

mgs-wide-pack-1.jpg

mgs-wide-pack-2.jpg

mgs-wide-pack-3.jpg


I really like the platinum version of MGS PAL since the silver fits with the front cover:

563584-metal-gear-solid-playstation-front-cover.jpg

PAL PS1 Platinum boxes might be among the only good budget box versions of any console

this here was my second ever PS1 game
3305941-driver-2-platinum-playstation-1-ps1.jpg


and I remember loving the Platinum box, back then I didn't even know what it's supposed to mean really but it just looked cool...

meanwhile most budget boxes look like this shit:
R.2a0df054e571a8d788444a4770ff1fed

R.14ff25536e96eb21336f7c03ac92ab82

R.4edc4543f451abe36f6eff1fd210eaf7



the later 360 classic/best seller boxes were ok too, but only because they weren't as annoying as the others lol

dirt-3--classics-xbox-360_11.jpg
 
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Kuranghi

Member
PAL PS1 Platinum boxes might be among the only good budget box versions of any console

this here was my second ever PS1 game
3305941-driver-2-platinum-playstation-1-ps1.jpg


and I remember loving the Platinum box, back then I didn't even know what it's supposed to mean really but it just looked cool...

meanwhile most budget boxes look like this shit:
R.2a0df054e571a8d788444a4770ff1fed

R.14ff25536e96eb21336f7c03ac92ab82

R.4edc4543f451abe36f6eff1fd210eaf7



the later 360 classic/best seller boxes were ok too, but only because they weren't as annoying as the others lol

dirt-3--classics-xbox-360_11.jpg

Jesus that Kameo box is so awful, the PS2 ones aren't much better but the off-centre placement of the cover is just so so bad. The font of the "Classics" part is horrible and the random non-shadowed text quote below the cover too.
 

01011001

Banned
Jesus that Kameo box is so awful, the PS2 ones aren't much better but the off-centre placement of the cover is just so so bad. The font of the "Classics" part is horrible and the random non-shadowed text quote below the cover too.

the PS2 one is the worst tho... it's literally a normal PS2 cover INSIDE an ugly sliver one... reminds me of this shit:

R.c07abefca17b56059faab0806994c2a5
 
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01011001

Banned
Jewel cases are awful. They crack easy and hinges break off and hang crooked. stack them and the disc slips out like a wet bannana complete with cartoon sound effect 'fweee'

but they looked cool, also, technically not Jewel cases... pretty sure Jewel case is the specific design single disc music albums come in... everything else is maybe a variation of them, and US PS1 games actually came in proper jewel cases, but PAL and JP cases were based on them but distinctly different.
 

OrtizTwelve

Member

38da29b0f158d6fd9493ce5ebd1181be.jpg


PS2 game boxes were entirely unremarkable, because they looked like every other plastic case available at the time, from Xbox games to DVDs. But an earlier design for them that Sony ended up ditching was a lot more interesting.

Yeo was hired by Sony for “one last job with the game industry.” In the late 90s, with work well underway on the PlayStation 2, Sony was looking for somebody to design the console’s game boxes, and asked Yeo to take a shot.

The result was this. Fantastic. Like something a character in a 90s cyberpunk anime would risk their lives for, and call it something like a DataCel Disk. As you can see by the size of the disc, the cover art was much smaller than we’re used to, and the “spine” of the case is actually at the bottom. Wildly impractical, sure, but also cool as hell. Sadly it was not to be.

“During production of the prototype, the higher-ups at Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan stepped in and canceled the project,” Salvador writes, “preferring to use the standard DVD case design, which would have been significantly cheaper and easier to work with.”

e3dfcfa9bb1d84c98ed12d156253779b.jpg

Hideous. I don’t even understand what I am looking at.
 
Last edited:

Spukc

always chasing the next thrill
my favorite boxes still are PAL PS1 games

Marvel-vs-Capcom.jpg


distinct, clean, compact and easy to stack

a close second are PAL Dreamcast boxes... but they lose due to them being known to break super easily... if they were more sturdy they would be the best
they win in terms of design tho. super clean

marvel-vs-capcom-clash-of-super-heroes-sega-dreamcast-2000-european-version-pal-1.jpg
Still.. best looking cased tho pal DC
 
Almost? Final did look cooler.

Dreamcast PAL boxes look fantastic. No clutter in terms of front cover. A couple of team logos and the big game art. Super clean. They break so easy though. I prefer the embossed Dreamcast logo variation too.
 
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TheInfamousKira

Reseterror Resettler
I hate how certain groups of people think things are cooler just because they're different from how things currently are.

DID YOU KNOW KETCHUP ALMOST CAME IN ROOM TEMPERATURE DRY STORAGE CARDBOARD BOXES LIKE KRAFT MAC AND CHEESE?! SO MUCH COOLER THAN WHAT WE GOT, FUCKING PLEB SOCIETY URRRRRGHHHH

Like, no, dude. Just no. This is wrong.
 

Dr.Morris79

Member
my favorite boxes still are PAL PS1 games

Marvel-vs-Capcom.jpg


distinct, clean, compact and easy to stack

a close second are PAL Dreamcast boxes... but they lose due to them being known to break super easily... if they were more sturdy they would be the best
they win in terms of design tho. super clean

marvel-vs-capcom-clash-of-super-heroes-sega-dreamcast-2000-european-version-pal-1.jpg
Gah, Dreamcast boxes. To this day still give me nightmares..
 

Kuranghi

Member
I have a Sonic Adventure 2 PAL DC box thats so filthy it looks like someone covered it in dusty bovril.

Also, I wish I owned some actually valuable DC games, why doesn't anyone want to pay £100 for a poor condition Record of Lodoss War?
 
my favorite boxes still are PAL PS1 games

Marvel-vs-Capcom.jpg


distinct, clean, compact and easy to stack

a close second are PAL Dreamcast boxes... but they lose due to them being known to break super easily... if they were more sturdy they would be the best
they win in terms of design tho. super clean

marvel-vs-capcom-clash-of-super-heroes-sega-dreamcast-2000-european-version-pal-1.jpg
Ntsc is better, bar and logos take less space than pal ps1.
 

Unk Adams

Banned
I disagree that PS2 cases were "unremarkable". They took DVD cases and added their own ideas to it such as being made out of heavier plastic, having a memory card holder, a spot to hold the thick manuals, nice cover logo design, etc. They certainly beat the cheap colored crap you get today. I can't even get a PS5 case in the mail without it being either damaged or the disc loose in the box because of how cheaply made they are in comparison to the sturdy PS2 cases.

Look how beautiful these things were:

s-l1600.jpg

s-l1600.jpg


We don't even seem to get gorgeous box art like that anymore...
 

6502

Member
Dreadful. Glad they avoided it. The best ps2 design was the console shell which I recall they bought from Atari...

Their console designs were not up to the rest of their electronic division. I mean how on earth their analogue sticks remain as an add on to the snes design is beyond me. It is not functional and neither are these coasters.
 

JLB

Banned
my favorite boxes still are PAL PS1 games

Marvel-vs-Capcom.jpg


distinct, clean, compact and easy to stack

a close second are PAL Dreamcast boxes... but they lose due to them being known to break super easily... if they were more sturdy they would be the best
they win in terms of design tho. super clean

marvel-vs-capcom-clash-of-super-heroes-sega-dreamcast-2000-european-version-pal-1.jpg
problem with these type of cases is how easy got broken.
 
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